The family of an 18-year-old college football player found dead after disappearing from a Mississippi island has discovered deleted messages on his cellphone, raising questions about what happened during his final hours on July 4th weekend.

Conflicting Accounts and Missing Evidence

Nolan Wells, a wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College, vanished during a boating trip to Horn Island with friends who departed without him. His body was recovered Monday, days after he was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday speaking with a woman on the island. The family retained civil rights attorney Ben Crump, who revealed the friends took Wells’ cellphone when they left, claiming he wanted to stay behind. When the phone was returned, family members noticed deleted messages that now fuel their concerns.

The accounts from witnesses directly contradict each other. The woman Wells spoke with told investigators he said he was returning to the boat. His friends claim Wells told them he planned to stay with her. Videos circulating online reportedly show an argument on the boats, with Wells and another person yelling at one another. Jackson County Sheriff John Ledbetter asked anyone who witnessed arguments or unusual activity on the island that day to come forward.

Independent Investigation Ordered

Wells’ body is being flown over 800 miles to Washington DC for an independent autopsy, bypassing the Mississippi state medical examiner who already performed one Tuesday. Crump questioned how investigators determined no foul play occurred despite the conflicting statements and video evidence of confrontations. The state autopsy results, including toxicology reports, could take weeks. The family wants an independent investigation due to concerns about Mississippi authorities investigating the death of a young black man when white students may bear responsibility.

Family Mourns Promising Athlete

Photos show the 6-foot-1, 180-pound athlete shirtless in blue swim trunks and sunglasses, smiling with friends on the boat before his disappearance. His mother, Christine Woolsey, posted on Facebook Wednesday that watching her other children grieve adds another layer to their sadness. Authorities currently believe Wells likely drowned, though no official cause of death has been released. The investigation continues as the family seeks answers about why their son’s friends left him on a remote island and what happened to the messages on his phone.